Started by Freddy Bensch and Kevin McNerney, SweetWater Brewery opened in Atlanta in 1997 with the goal of bringing west-coast style brewing to the southeast.  Their beers are now distributed in 9 states and have won a plethora of awards.

While traveling in Georgia (October 2013), I knew I had to visit the brewery and taste the beers that have generated so many accolades.  Arriving the Sunday before Halloween, I was met by a tasting room full of enthusiastic drinkers determined to party.

Prior to tasting SweetWater Brewing’s beers, I took a brewery tour.  Tours and tasting are held Wednesday to Friday from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm  and Saturday and Sunday from 2:30 pm to 4:30pm.  Souvenir pint glasses with 6 tasting tickets are $10 – a nice price.  Georgia law prohibits the brewery from directly selling bottled beer, so you need to go to a liquor store to buy the beer for home.  The brewery tour was very informal and social – more like a walking party event.

Once the tour was over, I was definitely ready to try the beers.  My tasting notes follow.  All the beers I tried were on tap.

SweetWater Blue (4.9% ABV): A beer 1998 World Beer festival Bronze Medal Winner in the Fruit Beer Category, this fruited-wheat session beer pours a hazy gold color with white foam.  SweetWater Blue has an aroma of wheat and blueberries.  The beer is light-bodied with moderate carbonation.  SweetWater Blue tastes of wheat, biscuit, and mild blueberries.  The beer has a crisp finish.  Although not my favorite style of beer, SweetWater Blue is a good session style fruit beer.  This is the type of beer you want to drink on a very hot summer day while fishing the bayou.

• Suggested Pairings – Mild Cheese; Fruit
• Serving Temperature – 40-45 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

SweetWater Georgia Brown (5% ABV / 24 IBUs): This English-style Brown Ale pours a dark brown color with red hue and a rich off-white foam.  Georgia Brown has a nice malted barley aroma with hints of nuts and chocolate.  The beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation.  Georgia Brown tastes of toasted grains, chocolate, and biscuit with caramel and toffee in a clean finish that includes a mild hops bitter finale.  Very smooth and drinkable, this beer will ensure fond memories of Georgia are on your mind.

• Suggested Pairings – Nuts; Earthy Cheese; Roast Beef
• Serving Temperature – 50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

SweetWater Motor Boat American ESB (5.6% ABV): Silver medal winner  from the 2008 and 2009 Great American Beer Festivals, this American ESB pours a clear, dark amber color that proudly wears a crown of rich, off-white foam that laces nicely.  Motor Boat has a sweet malt aroma with the unmistakable grapefruit bouquet of Cascade hops (this beer is actually dry-hopped with Cascade).  This beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation.  One sip yields flavors of toasted grain, sweet caramel malt, very mild grapefruit.  The flavors are excellently integrated and have a wonderful dry, crisp finish that  includes a nice hops bitterness.  Definitely not the Queen’s beer, this American ESB packs flavors that rebel against tradition but are delicious all the same.

• Suggested Pairings – All-American Pontoon Cheddar Cheeseburgers and Hot Dogs
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale (5.4% ABV): SweetWater’s most popular beer is the winner of a 1998 World Beer Cup Silver Medal and a 2002 Great American Beer Festival Silver Medal.  This extra pale ale pours a clear copper gold color and rich white foam that leaves a nice lace.  420 has a nice aroma of biscuit malt with grapefruit and grapefruit pith bouquet.  The beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation.  420 has nicely integrated flavors of biscuit, citrus, and grapefruit pith.  There is a crisp, dry finish with a delightful lingering bitterness.  This is a good session-style extra pale ale with west coast style, but my heart lies with Sierra Nevada.

• Suggested Pairings – Grilled Steaks
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

SweetWater India Pale Ale (6.4% ABV): This IPA pours a clear copper gold color with white foam.  Hops dominates the aroma with strong smells of grapefruit and grapefruit pith.  SweetWater IPA is creamy and medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.  The taste starts with huge flavors of grapefruit and grapefruit pith.  Malt biscuit manages to sneak onto your palate somewhere in the middle.  A crisp, dry finish follows with lingering hops bitterness.  This is a hop lover’s delight but better integration of malt flavors would take this beer from very good to outstanding.

• Suggested Pairings – Cedar Planked Salmon
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

SweetWater Crank Tank Rye’d Ale (5.8% ABV / 25 IBUs): Crank Tank is a specialty beer whose sales benefit the “good folks at Camp Twin Lakes and their efforts to help provide life changing experiences to children facing serious illnesses, disabilities and other life challenges.”  Based on my reading, I believe each release varies.  My version had a clear light gold color with superbly rich white foam that left a beautiful lined lace.  Crank Tank has great aromas of malt grain and rye, followed with distinct floral notes.  The beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation.  Delicious flavors of spicy grain, biscuit and rye abound complimented by citrus pith.  A dry finish is combined with lingering hops bitterness and floral hints to create the perfect ending.  This is an outstanding beer!

• Suggested Pairings – Pork Chops
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

SweetWater LowRYEder IPA (6.2% ABV / 45 IBUs): Described by SweetWater as, “A flame throwin’ Rye IPA ignited by a 25% shot of rye malt and capped by a booty hoppin’ blast of Mt Hood and Centennial hops that makes this IPA bounce!”  A Gold Medal from the 2013 Great American Beer Festival backs up the hype.  This beer pours a clear amber color with white foam that leaves nice lacing.  LowRYEder has distinct aromas of citrus zest, rye biscuit and spicy grain.  The beer is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.  LowRYEder has delicious flavors of spicy grain, rye biscuit, citrus, and orange zest.  Hops bitterness kick in to create a nice flavor pop.  The beer then finishes dry and smooth.  I loved my LowRYEder!  The LowRYEder is a little goer. Take a little trip in my LowRYEder and see.

• Suggested Pairings – Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese; Grilled Shrimp
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

My visit to SweetWater Brewing Company was much shorter than I would have preferred.  However, I had a delicious drinking experience.  If you are in the southeast, look for SweetWater beers.